Foxconn aims to start exports from India to Gulf, Africa by December

The world’s largest contract manufacturer, Foxconn, is aiming to kick off exports to the African countries and Middle East by December from India as it begins started discussion with suppliers to set up base in the fastest growing smartphone market in the world.

The electronics and phone maker company is planning towards expansion of its manufacturing office in Andhra Pradesh’s Sri City, while exploring for more locations including Tirupati in the same state, besides states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Delhi NCR. If the plan of Foxconn fructifies, they would be much ahead of Samsung’s target of exporting from India by 2020.

According to a person aware of the country’s strategy in India, “Foxconn will begin exporting by December, could be earlier. They will have reasonable capacity to export. To begin with, exports will be to Middle East and Africa. Over the next year or so, Foxconn is aiming for its suppliers to set up base here so they can feed into the local production chain which it will create for exports”.

Foxconn is in discussions with Reliance Jio to make the highly-awaited 4G Volte feature phone in India and some portion of the volumes may well come from Reliance Jio.

“Depending on what their customers say, the quantum of exports could be a majority of what it makes in India which it set to double to 6 million units a month or more than 70 million a year,” the first person said. Foxconn may become the largest phone manufacturer in India if they are growing at this rate, beating Samsung, said industry insiders.

According to some trustable sources Foxconn will speed up the discussions with several component suppliers – on and off talks have been on for a year – over next couple of months, now as the government has guaranteed protection to local manufacturers through basic customs duty of 10% and created a roadmap for local production of components coupled with tax incentives and benefits.